WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) joined her Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee colleagues to push for the prompt removal of Paul Ingrassia from his position as Deputy General Counsel at the General Services Administration (GSA). The decision comes as the senators received concerning reports of alleged misconduct and offensive behavior such as discriminatory comments aimed at women, Asian, Black, Muslim, Jewish and Indian Americans by Mr. Ingrassia.
After already having his nomination withdrawn by President Donald Trump, the senators are urging Mr. Ingrassia to be restricted from consideration for any future position in the federal government. U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), and Andy Kim (D-NJ) joined Slotkin in sending the letter:
“We are deeply disturbed by reports that the Trump Administration has authorized the appointment of Paul Ingrassia as the General Services Administration’s (GSA) deputy general counsel – one of the highest positions of public trust and responsibility at the agency. It is shocking that GSA and the Office of Presidential Personnel (PPO) moved forward with this appointment less than a month after President Trump withdrew Mr. Ingrassia’s nomination to lead the Office of Special Counsel (OSC),” wrote the senators. “Let us be clear; Mr. Ingrassia’s continued employment in the U.S. government is unacceptable. His appointment betrays the trust of every American, including those who Mr. Ingrassia has so brazenly disparaged. We demand the immediate removal of Paul Ingrassia from the General Services Administration and from consideration for any other position in this Administration.”
“Given Mr. Ingrassia’s very limited legal experience and his lengthy and public record of abhorrent statements, it is absurd to say his appointment advances GSA’s mission,” the senators continued. “GSA’s failure to vet Mr. Ingrassia is unacceptable and calls into question the Administration’s purported efforts to combat antisemitism. It is unclear how GSA would not be aware of Mr. Ingrassia’s past, especially given the volume of news around his nomination and the fact that Mr. Ingrassia was scheduled to appear alongside the GSA nominee before his nomination was withdrawn.”
“Mr. Ingrassia’s reappointment to a senior position embraces the very hatred this Administration proports to combat. To the contrary, the Trump Administration’s continued support for Mr. Ingrassia and its multiple attempts to find a place for him in this government betray a concerning willingness to support and, intended or not, promote his extremist, misogynist, and antisemitic views,” concluded the senators.
The full text of the letter can be found here.
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